I just read through a pretty good article on Sabbath-keeping that is informative, fresh, and provocative. Written by Pastor Terry Johnson, pastor of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia, the article is irenic yet clearly biblical and well articulated. The thesis of the article is that Christians are to keep the fourth commandment, and he illustrates reasons why and how we are to keep it.
What draws my attention on a weekly basis is that so called bible-believing Christians have unthought the Sabbath right out of their Bibles. As I mentioned previously, Dispensational teaching has aided in this; but I cannot blame it all on Dispensationalism. The big problem is that for years, especially in Baptist circles, pastors have taught that there are non-essential elements of the faith. Yes, keeping the Fourth Commandment falls within the non-essential elements. Is this correct? I believe it is not.
It is essential to know that God has commanded his people and all of humanity to rest one day in seven. It is essential to know that God has commanded his people to gather together to worship him one day in seven. It is also important to know that Jesus Christ declared himself to be Lord of the Sabbath. Our sinful tendencies has robbed God of his glory and ourselves from blessings that come from observing the Sabbath.
Jesus said if you love me keep my commandments. He also said to teach disciples all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Jesus also said that he came to fulfill the Law, not abrogate it. We are left with no excuses under the New Covenant to neglect the Fourth Commandment.
Let us make a concerted effort to keep the Sabbath holy by attending all of the stated services of our local churches, by engaging in devotional exercises in our homes both privately and with the family, try keeping the television off, and try to read some good Christian literature. Do these, and anticipate greater blessings from God, who rested on the seventh day and sanctified it.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Christian Sabbath
I've been thinking about blogging on this issue for a few weeks now. I'm just about finished with other issues of worship. This issue, I believe, is very important when considering what is true worship.
For many, the day of worship is merely a circumstance of worship. Roman Catholics have opportunity to attend Mass every day; Evangelicals in recent years may attend a weekly service on a Wednesday, a Saturday, or a Sunday. Within Evangelical circles, especially, Sunday has some significance, but it's traditional.
I believed this. I grew up under Dispensational teaching that taught that the Fourth Commandment had no significance under the New Testament. Attending worship on Sunday was more of an obligation not based on a direct commandment from Jesus Christ. Regarding the sanctity of the day, attending one church service and Sunday school made it semi-holy. I played outside with my friends on Sundays, went to City Park with my family, and did all sorts of things. There was really no sanctification of the day in household based upon the Dispensational teaching.
This is not to say that non-Dispensationalist traditions observed the day any better. I knew no family that really treated Sunday as a holy day. The city I grew up in is primarily Roman Catholic. I knew that Catholics flocked to High Mass on Sundays, but I also knew that bingo was held on Sunday afternoons, and people did whatever they wanted to do.
It wasn't until I was converted that I began to think about how I observe Sunday, which I began to refer to as the "Lord's Day." I happened to read through the New Hampshire Declaration of Faith, which African American Baptist churches subscribe to that I found a very clear teaching on the "Christian Sabbath." Article XV begins by stating that the first day of the week is the "Lord's Day," or "Christian Sabbath." It further teaches that the Lord's Day should be "kept sacred for religious purposes." In the negative, no Christian is to work, and no Christian is to engaged in "sinful recreations." Judging from the proof texts, the writers thought of any type of leisure recreations based on Isaiah 58:13-14. In the positive, Christians are to observe public worship and private worship.
This is a clear Protestant Reformed position. What happened? Let's talk about it.
For many, the day of worship is merely a circumstance of worship. Roman Catholics have opportunity to attend Mass every day; Evangelicals in recent years may attend a weekly service on a Wednesday, a Saturday, or a Sunday. Within Evangelical circles, especially, Sunday has some significance, but it's traditional.
I believed this. I grew up under Dispensational teaching that taught that the Fourth Commandment had no significance under the New Testament. Attending worship on Sunday was more of an obligation not based on a direct commandment from Jesus Christ. Regarding the sanctity of the day, attending one church service and Sunday school made it semi-holy. I played outside with my friends on Sundays, went to City Park with my family, and did all sorts of things. There was really no sanctification of the day in household based upon the Dispensational teaching.
This is not to say that non-Dispensationalist traditions observed the day any better. I knew no family that really treated Sunday as a holy day. The city I grew up in is primarily Roman Catholic. I knew that Catholics flocked to High Mass on Sundays, but I also knew that bingo was held on Sunday afternoons, and people did whatever they wanted to do.
It wasn't until I was converted that I began to think about how I observe Sunday, which I began to refer to as the "Lord's Day." I happened to read through the New Hampshire Declaration of Faith, which African American Baptist churches subscribe to that I found a very clear teaching on the "Christian Sabbath." Article XV begins by stating that the first day of the week is the "Lord's Day," or "Christian Sabbath." It further teaches that the Lord's Day should be "kept sacred for religious purposes." In the negative, no Christian is to work, and no Christian is to engaged in "sinful recreations." Judging from the proof texts, the writers thought of any type of leisure recreations based on Isaiah 58:13-14. In the positive, Christians are to observe public worship and private worship.
This is a clear Protestant Reformed position. What happened? Let's talk about it.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Where is the Protestant Spirit?
I remember in college I had a friend, a fraternity brother even who was a life-long Baptist, but refused to be called Protestant. We were at a Roman Catholic university, and we had to place our religious affiliation on the application. I put down Protestant because I believed then as I do now that Baptists are part of the Protestant family. I've come across others through their writings that argue that Baptists are not Protestants because Baptists represent the true Church. This is the classic Landmark position. I am no Landmark. I consider myself first and foremost a Reformed Catholic Christian. What do I mean by this? I hold to the historic and orthodox expression of Reformed Christianity, which holds to supreme biblical authority in all matters of faith and practice. I'm Catholic in that I confess the teachings of the Ecumenical Creeds---the Apostle's Creed, the Nicean Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. As a Christian, of course, I have repented from sin and placed saving faith in Jesus Christ as the one who has paid the penalty for my sin and merited heaven for me.
Having stated all of this, why am I writing on this Lord's Day? I argue that Protestants including Baptists have forgotten the Protestant spirit. I see this in a number of ways. First, the gospel has lost ground in African American Baptist circles. The gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, dead, and buried has been replaced by the gospel of expecting the miraculous, and this-worldly success. This has a great impact on biblical holiness; there is little emphasis on it. Second, African American Baptist pastors are heavy into the Romish pomp and circumstance. Have you seen the way African American pastors are dressing? They look like priests and prelates rather than servants of God who preach the word of God. Third, the worship reflects human tradition rather than the commandments of God. In a Baptist churches, I've witnessed sensual, culture-driven, and emotional "worship" as well as elements from Rome such as lighting candles, processions, and the aformentioned vestment wearing. Lost is the simplicity of New Covenant worship seen on the pages of Holy Scripture.
We are losing the gospel, we have returned to Old Testament types and shadows, and we command how we shall worship. No wonder we've lost that Protestant spirit that stood against all of this in its best expression.
Having stated all of this, why am I writing on this Lord's Day? I argue that Protestants including Baptists have forgotten the Protestant spirit. I see this in a number of ways. First, the gospel has lost ground in African American Baptist circles. The gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, dead, and buried has been replaced by the gospel of expecting the miraculous, and this-worldly success. This has a great impact on biblical holiness; there is little emphasis on it. Second, African American Baptist pastors are heavy into the Romish pomp and circumstance. Have you seen the way African American pastors are dressing? They look like priests and prelates rather than servants of God who preach the word of God. Third, the worship reflects human tradition rather than the commandments of God. In a Baptist churches, I've witnessed sensual, culture-driven, and emotional "worship" as well as elements from Rome such as lighting candles, processions, and the aformentioned vestment wearing. Lost is the simplicity of New Covenant worship seen on the pages of Holy Scripture.
We are losing the gospel, we have returned to Old Testament types and shadows, and we command how we shall worship. No wonder we've lost that Protestant spirit that stood against all of this in its best expression.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Conference Report
This is about three weeks too late, but I decided to give my readers (the real remnant) a brief report on the Magnifying God Conference held at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan on Feb 25-26. It was a good time; I met other young Reformed folk some with national renown. There were Reformed folk, Presbyterian folk, and Baptist folk in good numbers.
To no surprise, I was one of maybe three or free African Americans in attendance. While no surprise, it is still a telling fact. I engaged one of the speakers on this issue, and talked with others about during the conference. The big question was: how do we get Reformed theology in the Black community? This is a legitimate question, and maybe it's the wrong question. I believe the gospel is slowing losing ground among African Americans, especially those who come from a Baptist heritage. There is a strange type of ecumenism taking place among African American Church circles---clear denominational distinctions have been replaced with a broad acceptance of Word of Faith teaching and worship. To combat this, Reformed theology is unnecesary. The gospel is necessary. Once the true gospel re-takes territory then Reformed theology will follow.
To no surprise, I was one of maybe three or free African Americans in attendance. While no surprise, it is still a telling fact. I engaged one of the speakers on this issue, and talked with others about during the conference. The big question was: how do we get Reformed theology in the Black community? This is a legitimate question, and maybe it's the wrong question. I believe the gospel is slowing losing ground among African Americans, especially those who come from a Baptist heritage. There is a strange type of ecumenism taking place among African American Church circles---clear denominational distinctions have been replaced with a broad acceptance of Word of Faith teaching and worship. To combat this, Reformed theology is unnecesary. The gospel is necessary. Once the true gospel re-takes territory then Reformed theology will follow.
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